Living in Argentina guide for expats

The Republic of Argentina, also known as Argentina, is a South American country. It is divided into four zones: fertile plains, flat country, dry plains and mountains. Stretching over 2,780,400 km², it shares its borders with Paraguay in the north, Bolivia in the northwest, Chile in the west and Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast and east, as well as the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires. Its major cities are Cordoba, Rosario, Mendoza and Santa Fe.

Demography

To date, Argentina's population amounts to over 42 million people. It is one of the Latin American countries with the strongest influence of European culture. This is mainly due to the annual expatriation rate experienced by the country. Buenos Aires remains the most popular city being the main place where expatriates from Italy, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and Asia have settled.

Argentina's official language is Spanish. However, some indigenous languages such as 'Quechua' and 'Guarani' are spoken in many regions. Moreover, English and Portuguese are taught at school during the second cycle.

Economy

Argentina is one of the most developed Latin American countries. It is also the region's third largest economy. In 2012, its gross domestic product (GDP) amounted to 475 billion U.S. dollars. Growth rate was 3 % while inflation stood around 10%.

The country's key economic pillars are the agriculture, mining, manufacturing and services sectors. Argentina's main allies in terms of exports are Brazil, Chile, China, the United States and Spain. Moreover, the country mainly imports products from Brazil, the U.S., Germany and Mexico.

Politics

Argentina is a Presidential Republic with a multiparty governing system. The executive power is held by the government. The President of the Republic is also head of state and head of government. The legislative power, on the other hand, is held by members of the government and those of the two houses of parliament. Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is the President since December 2011 and Aníbal Fernández has been elected Prime Minister of Argentina.

Climate

Argentina has a humid subtropical climate in the north and an arid sub-Antarctic climate in the south. In some parts of the country, the temperature can drop to 0°C in winter and can climb up to 45°C in summer. As for rainfall, some 2500 mm are occasionally recorded in the forest regions. Arid regions only enjoy 100 mm rainfall. Patagonia is the coldest part of the country with a temperature of -10°C in winter and 35°C in summer.